


Family Feud - part 2 of 4

by awriterfandf



Series: Sailor Moon - an alternate reality [45]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga), Girls und Panzer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28822929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awriterfandf/pseuds/awriterfandf
Summary: Continued from part 1.
Series: Sailor Moon - an alternate reality [45]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2095488





	Family Feud - part 2 of 4

**Family Feud - part 2 of 4**

**  
Chapter 7:**

Miho leaned her head into the hallway and quickly looked left and right. Relieved to find no one else in sight, she quickly waved the boy inside. "Come in, Yusei!"

The young man walked into the apartment and placed the box on her table. "I can't stay long, Miho-san, just a few minutes or I'll miss the supply ship when it leaves."

Miho closed her apartment door and gave her boyfriend a sweet smile. "This is a very pleasant surprise! I wasn't expecting to see you again until after the match tomorrow. She regarded the uniform he wore and giggled, "Something tells me you aren't working for Sunkus as a part-time delivery person. Why did you go to all that trouble to see me today? Is it because of the important thing you said you were going to tell me this weekend?"

Yusei began to blush. "Hai. That's exactly why."

"Well, now that you're here, please tell me. I hope it isn't... bad news."

"I hope it isn't too" he smiled nervously. "I just wanted to tell you that... uh..." he hesitated, his hands beginning to tremble.

"Go on" Miho prompted her male friend, beginning to worry that the news involved an early end to their future relationship.

"I..." He gulped, took a deep breath, gathered his nerve and smiled shyly at the beautiful brown-haired girl. "I love you, Miho. I love you with all of my heart and soul. Since that night we first met, I can't think of anything or anyone but you." His blush deepened as he softly spoke, "I... I can only hope you have feelings for me too."

Miho stood silently for a few seconds, then with tears of joy filling her shimmering light brown eyes, she stepped up to him and slipped her arms around her boyfriend's waist, her heart racing with unbridled happiness.

"I love you too, Yusei" she softly whispered back. "So very, very much."

He gently gathered her in his arms and the young couple's lips slowly came together, sharing a long, tender kiss.

After the couple's shared moment of intimacy had ended, Miho smiled, "I'm so happy! I was worried that you were going to say... something else."

"You honestly don't think I'm crazy for falling in love with you so soon in our relationship?"

"No. Not at all." They kissed again, and for a time, all else was forgotten but the love they shared for one another within their young hearts.

"You know, you're not the first person to sneak onto a school ship while wearing a Sunkus uniform!" Miho giggled. "Just a few weeks ago, Yukari snuck onto-"

Her door buzzer sounded again, startling the young couple into silence.

" _Sshh_!" Miho whispered. "You aren't supposed to be here!" She hurried over to the door. "Ah... who is it?"

A familiar voice answered, "It's Yukari, Nishizumi-dono! I guess I'm here a little early for our team meeting. I hope that's ok."

Not knowing what else to do, she opened the door and urged the Anglerfish loader to enter. "Come in, Yukari." Miho quickly closed the door behind her and locked it.

Yukari was stunned to find Miho's male visitor standing beside the low table. "Oh! Ah... konnichiwa, Yusei-san!" She spun around, her eyes wide. "Nishizumi-dono, there's a _boy_ in your apartment!"

"I noticed that" her commander giggled. "My boyfriend just stopped by to deliver our tea, and to tell me something I _really_ wanted to hear."

"He did? Is it about the match tomorrow?"

"Not exactly" Miho smiled, her pretty face aglow. "Our relationship just moved to what I suppose Minako would call Phase Two. Yusei and I... we're in love."

"That's so wonderful!" the curly-haired teen exclaimed. "I'm so thrilled for you both! Congratulations!"

"Arigatou, Yukari! I can't even begin to describe how incredibly happy I feel!"

Yusei grinned, "I'm not the only guy in our little group who wanted to be here today, Yukari-san. My brother and our three friends did too, but we could only find one Sunkus uniform in our school's costume department, and I claimed it first!" He chuckled, "The girl who was monitoring the unloading of the supply ship was really surprised to see me. I guess she would've been even more suspicious if all five of us had turned up."

"Ryoto wanted to come here too?" Yukari gasped.

"Hai. He asked me to tell you if we happened to meet that I'm not the only one who has fallen so deeply in love. Ryoto is madly in love with you, Yukari-san."

" _He is? Hontou ni?"_ The huge smile that instantly appeared on Yukari's face surpassed even Miho's. "Tell him I love him too, Yusei-san! _Please tell him!"_

"I definitely will" the sixteen-year-old boy promised. He checked his wristwatch. "I have to be going now. I don't want to miss my ride ashore on the supply ship and get Miho in trouble."

"We'll all meet up again after Saturday's match is over" his girlfriend promised. "And in the meantime... you'll be in my dreams, my Yusei. See you tomorrow."

The young couple shared a lingering parting kiss, making Yukari blush and politely look away.

With a reluctant sigh, Miho opened her apartment door, and after checking that the coast was still clear, wished her boyfriend a safe voyage and a very good night.

After he had hurried away, Miho and her female friend exchanged joyful hugs. "I'm so happy for _all_ of us, Yukari!"

"Me too, Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari giggled. "You know what this means? Minako-sensei was right about our guys' true feelings for us all along!"

"Hai! She certainly was!" the Anglerfish commander giggled.

. . . . .

A few minutes later, Miho and Yukari were sitting together at the apartment's dinner table, opening the box of tea from St. Gloriana. "I'm still trying to think of a good plan for tomorrow's match" the Anglerfish commander said, her mind still reeling at the thought of her boyfriend's confession of love. "Thinking of Yusei is making it kind of hard for me to focus on Sensha-do tonight." She mused, "Do you think we should tell our teammates about what just happened, or should we wait until after the match and let their boyfriends break the news to them?"

"All I know is, I'm glad your boyfriend told me that Ryoto loves me, Nishizumi-dono!" Yukari exclaimed. "I wanted to tell him I love him on our last date, but I was too shy!" She giggled, "Phase Two, here we come!"

The door buzzer sounded again and Miho got up to answer it. "Sounds like everyone is here early for our team meeting" she said while opening the door. She was taken aback to find Yusei standing outside, a deeply worried look on his handsome face.

"There's a big problem, Miho!" he blurted. "I missed the boat! It's already gone!"

"Oh!" Miho gasped. "That really _is_ a problem! We aren't supposed to entertain boys in our apartment! Come in and we'll try to think of something that won't land us both in hot water!"

"Hai!" he nodded, hurrying inside. "I hope I haven't ruined everything for you by being here" he fretted. "I'm so very sorry!"

"Please don't apologize, my love" Miho softly reassured her young man. "I'm still glad you came to see me today, no matter what happens."

She asked the other girl, "Yukari, would you happen to know if there's another ship meeting ours before we make port at Nagasaki tomorrow?"

"None that I can think of, Nishizumi-dono" Yukari frowned. "Sumimasen."

"That's ok. I'll simply have to come up with a different idea."

Yet another strident buzz from the doorbell sent Miho scurrying to answer the door, while Yusei tactfully hid himself in the apartment's tiny kitchen. She was surprised to find Minako outside, and Mako with her.

" _Miho-san!"_ the blonde with the red bow in her hair blurted. She spoke rapidly, "I was at the convenience store down the street from your apartment building a few minutes ago! When I left the store I met Mako passing by and while we were chatting, we noticed your boyfriend running down the next street over! He was wearing a Sunkus uniform and headed in this direction! Is Yusei here with you?"

"Um... as a matter of fact he is, Minako-san. Why? What's wrong?"

"He wasn't the only one heading your way! That snoopy hall monitor who checks our attendance at the school's front gate every morning is too! She was a block or so further away from Mako and me, but she was definitely headed toward your building and she didn't look too happy!"

" _Sono_ is coming? _Here?"_ Miho uttered with a sharp gasp.

"We believe she is" Mako spoke. "And not just Sodoko, Miho-san. Anzu and Momo are with her."

All of the color instantly drained from Miho's pretty face.

" _Oh dear!"_

. . . . .

**Chapter 8:**

"Minna, I think I'm in trouble" Miho sighed. "I guess the right thing to do is try to explain to Anzu that Yusei missed his boat and-"

"Nonsense, Miho-san!" Minako insisted. "Your own personal white flag hasn't popped up yet, so there's still a chance we can get away with this!" She called out, "Yusei-san, hide in your girlfriend's clothes closet! Hurry now! There isn't much time!"

"Hai!" The distraught boy appeared and squeezed his body into the confined space, concealing himself behind one of Miho's school uniforms.

"Stay really quiet until Miho tells you it's safe to come out, ok?"

"I'll do my best, Minako-san."

Minako slid the door closed. "There!" the blonde giggled. "No one will ever know!"

The apartment's door buzzer sounded again. "Good luck, Nishizumo-dono" Yukari whispered, holding up crossed fingers.

Miho took a deep breath to compose herself and opened the door, finding Usagi in the hallway. "Hi, Miho-san!" the odango-haired blonde grinned. "Sorry to bother you before your important commander's get-together, but has my tea arrived yet? I'd really like to have a cup."

"Oh! It's you, Usagi-san! Hai, your package of tea is in that box on the table. Please help yourself."

Before Usagi could reach the cardboard box, Minako intercepted her blonde friend and grabbed her by the arm, steering her into the kitchen and whispering urgently in her ear.

" _Nani? He's here now?"_ Usagi blurted. "Ohh! _Miho-san!"_ she giggled, giving Miho a knowing smile and turning the young commander's face red.

" _Ssshhh!_ No one else is supposed to know he's here!" Minako hissed. "Just remember what I asked you to do in the future, ok?"

"Hai! I won't forget!" Usagi nodded.

"It's getting busy in here tonight" Mako spoke as the buzzer sounded yet again.

Miho once more answered her door, forcing herself to smile weakly at the three girls staring at her. "Konnichiwa. Momo-san, uh... why are _you_ here tonight? This meeting is for-"

"I think we all know why I'm here" Momo replied, her voice hard and cold. "Mind if we come in, Miho?" Without waiting for a reply, she strode past the Anglerfish commander and entered the apartment, with Sono and Anzu following.

"Ah... I see our tea has finally arrived" Anzu chuckled, spying the Sunkus courier box.

"Hai. The uh... the tea" Miho murmured.

"This isn't about the tea!" Sono exclaimed angrily. "It's about how it got here!" She peered around the apartment, frowning, and told Miho, "As leader of the Public Morals Committee, I'm reminding you that boys are strictly prohibited from entering girls' apartments on the Zuikaku, Miho. Breaking that rule is a very serious offence, with harsh penalties for anyone who dares to try! Isn't that right, Momo?"

Momo grinned evilly at Miho behind her half-glasses. "Penalties for that particular transgression range from the loss of a significant number of school credits, up to permanent expulsion from Ooarai Girls Academy. Since we haven't had anyone break that rule before, I believe the latter would be most suitable, as a warning to any other girl foolish enough to think she can get away with it."

"You really know how to liven up everyone's evening, Momo-chan" Mako muttered. "You must have a gift for it."

" _Don't you dare call me that ever again, Mako!"_ Momo yelled at the Anglerfish driver.

"In my official capacity, I am hereby searching your apartment, Miho" Sono announced. "Because I know what's going on!"

"That's a first, Sodoko" Mako said.

Sono glared at her. "I'll remember that!" She went on, "You were planning on keeping your boyfriend here with you all night and sleeping with him, weren't you Miho? That makes your crime even worse. _Much_ worse."

As Miho's cheeks turned crimson, Sono took two steps toward the tiny kitchen. "Your boyfriend Yusei is hiding in your apartment, isn't he Miho? Don't try to deny it. I watched him come aboard our ship, and he didn't leave when the supply boat sailed. You're in _very_ deep trouble."

Miho swallowed hard, and was about to confess to the girls when Minako and Usagi emerged from the kitchen. "Ohayou minna!" Minako bubbled. "Nice evening for a big Sensha-do meeting, isn't it?"

"What are _you two_ doing here?" Sono eyed the blondes suspiciously. "You aren't team commanders."

"I just dropped by for the fancy tea!" Usagi grinned. "As a matter of fact, if it's fine with you I'm going to make some right now, Miho-san! I just _love_ the stuff!"

"And you?" she glowered at the second blonde. "What's _your_ excuse, Minako-san?"

" _Me?"_ Minako giggled. "I... uh... I was just running an errand for Miho, Sono-san! That's all." She reached into her purse and extracted the pack of cigarettes she had bought for herself at the convenience store, handing them to the Anglerfish commander. "Here's the cigarettes you asked me to pick up for you, Miho-san. I know you didn't have time to get them yourself, with that important strategy meeting thingy you have taking up all your valuable time tonight."

Going along with Minako's excuse, Miho innocently took the pack and placed it on the table. "Arigatou, Minako-san. I'll pay you for them later."

"I don't believe any of this" Sono muttered. "You're all just stalling for time. Please step aside. _Now!"_ she ordered Usagi and Minako. The Morals Committee leader strode quickly past the two blondes into the kitchen.

"Lose something, Sodoko?" Mako smirked. "Your clipboard, perhaps? Try looking in the refrigerator for it, that's where I keep mine."

Sono emerged from the kitchen empty-handed and scowled at the Anglerfish driver, next striding over to the bed and stooping down to peer under it. "He's not here either, Momo."

Minako laughed, "You should look under _my_ bed, Sono-san! I always keep a few spare copies of my boyfriend stashed away under there. You know..." she winked at the black-haired girl, "just in case!"

Sono glared at her. "That isn't funny, Minako-san."

"I thought it was!" Usagi cackled. "Good one, Minako-chan!"

Inside the closet, Yusei's heart ached as he listened to the conversation outside, knowing that his luck, and the luck of his beloved Miho, was fast running out. Leaning further away from the door, one of Miho's fuku tops brushed lightly against his nose. The sixteen-year-old boy quickly clamped his hands over his mouth, vainly attempting to muffle a soft sneeze.

" _Ahchoo!"_

"Did you hear that?" Momo grinned wickedly at the closet door. " _Gotcha!"_

Miho unconsciously wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "Uh... hear what, Momo-san?"

"Your clothes closet, Miho. It just sneezed."

"It must have allergies, Momo-chan" Mako shrugged. "It _is_ that time of the year."

Inside the closet, Yusei suddenly felt a strange and powerful tingling sensation sweep over his entire body as he sat in the darkness. His head slumped forward and his eyes closed, the boy instantly falling into unconsciousness.

On the other side of the closet door, Momo marched over and placed her fingers on its handle. "Minna, I think it's game over for our amorous little Anglerfish commander tonight. In her place, I'll be assuming complete charge of our teams during tomorrow's match."

" _Like hell you will!"_ Yukari blurted, shocking everyone in the room.

" _Silence_ , Yukari! You'll do as I say from now on!"

"Sumimasen!" the curly-haired loader blushed, though her dark brown eyes still flashed in defiance at the other girl.

Momo continued, "Anzu, as Student Council President, it's your decision regarding how severely we punish Miho for breaking the no-boys-in-the-apartment rule. What will it be? Loss of credits? Or expelled?"

Anzu looked up from the box of tea she held and smiled at the girls. "Miho's punishment? It will be... nothing."

" _Nothing?"_ Momo and Sono yelled together, staring at each other in utter disbelief.

"Hai, you heard me. Nothing. At least..." the Council President grinned at Miho, "not this time."

"That's a _ridiculous_ decision _,_ Anzu!" Sono protested angrily. "We can't let her get away with-"

"Minna, listen to me" Anzu interrupted the two deeply upset girls. "If it wasn't for Nishizumi Miho joining us a couple of months ago and single-handedly building up our Sensha-do program, and her incredible skills as a tactician and tank commander, we'd all be out of a job. We would've lost the national tournament, probably in the first round, Ooarai would be shut down, and you'd be scrambling to find another school to attend. And need I remind you both, not as a P.R. Rep or a hall monitor, but as _regular_ students. Let that thought sink in for a minute."

"I'm opening this closet right now and proving there's a boy hiding inside it!" Momo fumed. "Maybe _that'll_ change your mind, Anzu!" She viciously slid the door open, her eyes widening when she discovered only Miho's clothing neatly hanging within. "This is _impossible!"_ she yelled. "I heard someone sneeze! _I really did!"_

Mako walked over to the tall thin girl and gently patted her on the shoulder. "There, there, Momo-chan. We've got a tough battle coming up tomorrow. Maybe you should go home now and get some rest."

"There _is_ a boy!" Sono muttered. "There _has_ to be!"

Miho stood beside Usagi, smiling brightly. "I know the future you was behind this, Usagi-san" she whispered in the blonde's ear. "Yusei and I owe you a huge debt. Arigatou gozaimasu."

"If I can have a cup of tea before I leave your apartment, we're even!" Usagi smiled back.

"Absolutely!" Miho giggled. "Drink as much as you want! And take mine too!"

The apartment's buzzer sounded, and this time Minako answered the door. "Hi, Mako-chan! Here for your commander's meeting?"

"Hai." The tall brunette entered the apartment and looked with surprise at the collection of girls gathered there. "Am I missing something?" she chuckled.

"Here? _Noo!"_ the blonde giggled. "There's nothing to see here, Mako-chan!" Minako laughed. "Nothing at all!"

. . . . .

**Chapter 9:**

The brunette watched Mako guide the Student Council member toward the open door. "You've had a busy evening, Momo-chan. It's time to go home now."

Momo murmured, "But the boy... That sneeze I heard... _am I losing my mind?"_

"Hai. Of course you are. Good night, Momo-chan." Mako pushed the tall, thin Public Relations representative into the hallway and slammed the door behind her.

"Hey!" Momo yelled back through the closed door. "I didn't _really_ want Miho to be expelled! I'm not heartless, you know! Don't be so rude, Mako!" Hearing no reply, she stormed off in a huff.

"Anzu, you must be working your staff too hard lately." Mako suggested, "Perhaps you should consider giving Momo a little vacation from her P.R. duties after tomorrow's match is over."

"I heard someone sneeze too" the diminuitive Council President frowned. "At least... I _think_ I did."

Minako scurried over to the closet door and slid it tightly closed. "You both must be imagining things! And you are too, Sono-san! Can you believe anyone would be crazy enough to try hiding a boy in a _closet?_ " she giggled. "How dumb an idea is that?"

Sono scowled at the Anglerfish commander, "I don't know what just happened to your boyfriend, Miho, but I swear I'll get to the bottom of this fiasco sooner or later!"

"I'm sure you will" Miho smiled sweetly at the hall monitor. "But please make it later, ok? We've got other things to worry about at the moment."

. . . . .

Yusei's brown eyes flickered open as the boy abruptly regained consciousness. "Ohh, my head!" he groaned. "I feel kinda... dizzy!" He struggled to focus on his surroundings, realizing to his astonishment that he was now sitting on the hard wooden floor of what appeared to be the living room of an unfamiliar house, with his girlfriend and her apartment nowhere in sight.

He heard a voice behind him say, "Looks like future Usagi is at it again, Taro-chan."

"Hai" another voice spoke. The male chuckled, "I wonder what's going on over there now."

Yusei slowly turned his head, finding two teenage boys sitting on a large sofa and peering at him. " _Where am I?"_ he gasped. He was stunned to realize that one of the boys looked almost exactly like him. "And what happened to Miho's closet I was hiding in?"

The younger teen exclaimed, "You must be Miho's boyfriend! It's great to finally meet you, Yusei-san!"

"You know my name? Who are...?"

"My name is Ito Yuji. I'm Makoto's fiancee. And this is my older brother Taro. He's Minako's fiancee." Yuji gave his unexpected lookalike guest a reassuring smile. "Please don't be alarmed. I don't know what's going on where you came from, but I'm sure everything will turn out just fine."

Taro asked, "You were hiding in Miho's _closet_ , Yusei-san?"

"Uh... hai! Minako told me to."

Yuji grinned, "I really need to hear the rest of _this_ story!"

. . . . .

With the arrival of the other Ooarai tank commanders, Minako and Yukari left the apartment, with Usagi staying behind in the kitchen to make her tea. Feeling hugely relieved from her boyfriend's seemingly-magical last-second escape, Miho relocated the tea box and cigarettes Minako had given her to her study desk, returning with a map of Nagasaki's Sensha-do battlefield. She joined the other girls around her table, unfolding the map on it, and giggled when Usagi appeared in the kitchen doorway. The odango-haired blonde was holding her teacup while grasping a small saucer beneath it in her other hand. She watched Usagi daintily sip her tea.

"Usagi-san, that's a pretty fair impersonation of Darjeeling you're doing there!"

"It is, isn't it?" Usagi grinned. "All I need now is a red jacket, Miho-san!"

Makoto chuckled, "I can improve it." She hurried into the kitchen and quickly returned, taking the saucer from Usagi's hand and replacing it with a large white dinner plate. "That's better. Now we don't need to worry about you spilling your tea all over Miho's map, Usagi-chan."

" _Ohh!_ Mako-chan, you're been acting even worse than evil Rei lately!" Usagi muttered above a chorus of laughter from the other girls.

"I'm trying" the brunette chuckled, retaking her seat at one corner of the low table. "Being Rei's protegé is hard work!"

After the laughter had died down, Miho kicked off the meeting. "Minna, I must admit I've been having trouble coming up with a good game plan for tomorrow's battle, mostly because we still don't know which school we'll be working with. Erwin, any news on that front?"

Riko shook her head. "Nothing new to report, Miho. Looks like we won't find out until we're at the staging area for the match."

"In that case, we'll work under the assumption it'll be one of the weaker schools. I think our best chance will be to divide Ooarai's tanks into groups of two, with one tank acting as the aggressor and the other providing backup." She asked, "Satoko, what's the status on your Tiger P?"

"It's as good as we can possibly make it, Miho" the girl wearing orange coveralls replied. "It only caught fire once today."

"That's an improvement... I guess" Miho sighed. "I'll be pairing you with Turtle team, with Anzu's Hetzer as lead tank."

"Thanks a lot, Miho" Anzu muttered. "I'll be sure to bring marshmallows."

The Anglerfish commander giggled, "Hopefully it won't come to that." She divided up the other teams, pairing Makoto's Panzer with Riko's STuG. "Erwin, you're on point since you have the more powerful gun, with Makoto's Panzer covering. You may need her rotatable turret if Maho's team tries to rush you from behind. She likely will."

"You're expecting your sister to single out our school for attack?" Makoto asked.

"Unfortunately I am" Miho nodded grimly. "And not just Ooarai, but my tank in particular, Makoto-san. That's why I plan on operating my Panzer alone, at least at first. Maho will no doubt be under pressure from my mother to even the score after Kuromorimine's recent defeat, so expect a whole lot of rounds headed your way."

"A veritable rain of large-caliber shells will soon befall us, Makoto-san" Riko mused. "Strike hard and strike fast, that's Kuromorimine's usual modus operandi. Saunders operates much the same way. Together they will unite to form an axis of flying munitions against us."

"A rain of shells?" Makoto grinned, "Anyone have an umbrella?"

. . . . .

After dividing her remaining tanks into groups and working out a basic attack strategy with her commanders, Miho adjourned the meeting an hour later. "Minna, our plans may likely change when we know who we're fighting alongside. I'll keep everyone informed via radio after I talk to their commander. Our ship is scheduled to dock at Nagasaki at eight a.m., so let's be ready to leave then. Are there any questions?"

"I have a question" Sono asked, the first time she spoke since the meeting began. "How are you planning on sneaking your boyfriend off the ship tomorrow, Miho?"

The other commanders stared at the suddenly blushing girl. " _There's a boy on the Zuikaku?"_ the commander of Anteater team gasped.

"Sono seems to think so, Nekota" Miho murmured. "Even though she can't find him." She told the hall monitor, "Please try to concentrate on the battle tomorrow, Sono. If you spend your energy thinking about... uh... other things, you may be caught off-guard. We really need Mallard's Char b1 on our side."

"We'll pull our weight, Miho" Sono muttered. "Don't concern yourself about us. It's _you_ we should all be worried about."

The other girls filed out of the apartment, with Anzu the last to leave. Miho wished her goodnight, "Oyasuminasai, Anzu. See you tomorrow morning at the tank depot."

The Student Council President laughed, "Pleasant dreams, Miho. Be sure to give your boyfriend my regards."

"I... um... when I see him after the match tomorrow I will" the brown-haired girl stuttered, blushing deeply.

. . . . .

As Luna team's commander and radio operator walked along, Usagi groaned, "I just realized I'm completely out of late-night snacks, Mako-chan. Time to raid the nearest convenience store!"

"I'll come with you" Makoto offered. "I could go for another coffee. Miho's meeting gave me a lot to think about tonight."

"Sounds like we're in for a bad time tomorrow" the blonde said. "I'll feel awful if Miho loses the match to her evil sister."

"I's not over until it's over, Usagi-chan. We'll give both schools we're up against a good run for their money, that's for damned sure."

They entered the store, finding Minako inside. "Hi! How did the meeting go, Mako-chan?"

"We need to up our game, Minako-chan. Your wild driving may be the only thing keeping us alive when the shells start flying." The brunette watched the blonde buy another pack of cigarettes. "More? I thought you were getting some earlier."

"Those are Miho's now." After they left the store, waiting outside while Usagi wandered the aisles gradually filling a basket with junk food, Minako giggled, "Did you know she has Yusei visiting her at her apartment tonight? I wonder if they'll reach Phase Three?"

"Is that all you can think about?" Makoto muttered.

"Hai!" her driver laughed. "Well... that and my sexy love muffin, of course! And Sensha-do!"

Makoto tried changing the subject. "I'm curious, Minako-chan. When did you decide to start smoking?"

"Nearly a year ago. I was sneaking cigarettes from my mother for a while."

"Let me guess" the brunette chuckled. "Your mother found out and yelled at you for stealing them from her."

"Not exactly. She must have known though, because one night, she and I were sitting in our living room and talking about school and Taro and stuff like that. She lit her usual after-dinner cigarette and handed it to me, and we've made it our special mother-daughter personal time every Wednesday night ever since." Minako added, "By the way, Miho told me that guys don't smoke here in her dimension, Mako-chan. It's considered another female-only thing, just like Sensha-do is."

"Hontou? This really is a girls' world" Makoto mused. "I'm surprised you even bothered to keep it a secret from us, Minako-chan. You usually can't keep anything to yourself for very long."

"I can keep secrets, silly!" Minako insisted. "Unlike _you_ , who gave away _your_ little secret about you and Yuji frolicking in the grass together that day in Hawaii! It was written all over your face!"

"It was not!" Makoto blurted. "I never admitted we did anything! So stop talking about it, ok?"

Usagi emerged from the store, carrying a large shopping bag stuffed to the brim with bags of chips and chocolate-covered cookies. "Stop talking about what, Minako-chan?"

Minako giggled, "About Mako-chan and Yuji when they went hiking in Hawaii and they made sweet-"

"Never mind!" Makoto cut her off. "It's personal, Usagi-chan."

"Hai! _Really_ personal!" Minako winked at her future sister-in-law. "The most personal thing imaginable! Isn't that right, Mako-chan?"

"Will you please _shut up?"_ the flustered brunette growled.

. . . . .

Standing alone in her apartment, Miho refolded the map and tossed it on her desk. She walked over to her closet and slid the door open just a little, peering inside. 'Yusei still hasn't returned from wherever Usagi sent him' she thought, feeling more than a little disappointed. 'I wonder if he'll end up back on his school ship. Hai, that's probably what will happen.'

Deciding to take an early shower before calling it a night, she did so, then slipped into her pink nightie. With her thoughts alternating between the next day's Sensha-do battle and her boyfriend's earlier tender confession of love, she sat on the edge of her bed, setting her alarm clock for six-thirty. The girl was about to slip between the sheets when a soft sound from the closet brought her quickly to her feet.

Miho rushed to the closet and slid its door fully open.

Still wearing his Sunkus uniform, Yusei smiled happily at the beautiful girl he so dearly loved. "I'm back, Miho." His cheeks blushed a bright shade of red at the sight of his girlfriend standing before him in her nightdress, and he politely looked away. "I don't think I should be seeing you like that!" he gasped.

"That's ok, my love" Miho smiled back. "Why don't you climb on out of there and tell me what happened to you this evening?"

"Hai!" The boy emerged from her closet and grinned. "It was the strangest thing! One minute I was hiding here, and the next I was in another dimension! I met Yuji and Taro in the house Makoto has outside Nerima and they explained everything to me!" He chuckled, "You certainly have some interesting friends, my love! Sailor Senshi! I never would've believed it!"

"I really do have wonderful friends!" his girlfriend giggled. "It looks like you'll be spending the night here after all, Yusei. You can catch the public bus ashore after we dock first thing in the morning. Which means..."

"Don't worry about a thing" the boy said. "If you have a spare blanket or two, I'll be happy to sleep on the kitchen floor."

"Hai... that would probably be for the best" Miho reluctantly agreed. She smiled sweetly at her young man. "I hope you won't find it too uncomfortable."

"Just being here with you a little longer is all I need to feel comfortable and happy" Yusei shyly spoke. "I'll be just fine." He gazed into her shimmering light brown eyes. "I love you, Miho."

"And I love you, my Yusei. So very, _very_ much." Miho reached out her arms and slipped them snugly around her boyfriend's waist, pulling him close and sharing a soft, lingering kiss. "I will promise you one thing, my darling" she spoke in a coy near-whisper. "Next time we find ourselves together under the same roof overnight, probably at Makoto's house again... I promise you won't be sleeping on the floor."

. . . . .

**Chapter 10:**

Miho awoke to find bright rays of sunlight streaming through the thin curtain covering her apartment window, and she checked her alarm clock. 'It's nearly six-thirty. I may as well get up.'

She turned off the alarm before it had a chance to sound and slipped out of bed. Hearing only faint breathing from her kitchen, she tiptoed over to its entrance and peeked around the corner. She felt a warmth deep in her heart at the sight of her Yusei, still fast asleep beneath the blanket she had given him, and Miho decided to freshen up and dress before awakening her boyfriend.

A few minutes later, she gingerly tapped her finger against his left foot and Yusei awoke to find Miho kneeling beside him, now wearing her Sensha-do competition uniform. "Ohayou, Yusei! Did you rest well?"

"I dreamt of you all night, my love," he smiled happily, sitting up. "I even had one dream where we were on a big beach somewhere, and we were sitting on a blanket together on the warm sand, holding hands. I didn't want that dream to end!"

"That sounds so romantic!" She impulsively kissed his cheek. "Maybe someday we can make your wonderful dream come true for us, darling. But today, we need to get you on that bus into town, and I have a Sensha-do match to compete in."

"Hai! The match!" her boyfriend exclaimed. "Miho, you promised me something so very special last night, and now I'd like to ask you to promise me one other thing."

"Sure! What would that be?"

"Please forget about me."

" _Nani?"_ Miho gasped.

"Not permanently, of course" Yusei grinned. "Just for the next few hours or so, until after you finish your match. I wouldn't want you to do badly in the competition because you were thinking of me instead of concentrating on winning your battle."

"Well... I'll try" Miho smiled sweetly back. "But even if I do become preoccupied with the match this afternoon, you'll still be in my heart, my Yusei. Now... then... and forever."

"And you will be in mine" Yusei softly spoke. "For the rest of my life, Nishizumi Miho... I belong to you."

. . . . .

An hour later, after sharing a tender and very lengthy farewell kiss and wishing his girlfriend all the best in her upcoming match, Yusei left the apartment carrying the now-empty tea box. "If anyone should ask, just say you're making a special delivery ashore" Miho had suggested. "It looks less suspicious that way."

She also soon left her apartment and walked to school, trying hard to focus her mind on the day ahead. Arriving at the tank hangar, she found most of her teams already gathered there, chatting in groups beneath a crystal-clear deep blue sky. Only Saori and Mako were missing from her team, and Miho expected another frantic phone call from her radio operator at any moment, telling her that her driver was still slumbering in bed.

After Miho had greeted the other girls, Minako hurried over and steered her off to one side. "Well?" the blonde grinned. "How was last night, Miho-san? Or should I already know?"

Miho lowered her voice so no one else could hear. "If you're asking about what I _think_ you are" she giggled, her cheeks beginning to blush, "Yusei spent the night on my kitchen floor, Minako-san."

The blonde stared at her in shock. " _He did what?"_

"Hai. We couldn't... you know... actually do anything _too_ intimate" Miho whispered. "I certainly wanted to, and I think Yusei did too, but we couldn't because we weren't... prepared."

Minako groaned and slapped her forehead. "That's right, Miho-san! I forgot all about _that_ really important detail!" She told the brown-haired girl, "One of the benefits of being a Sailor Senshi is we don't have to worry about protection because of our special powers. I completely forgot that you and the other girls on your team don't have that ability. How silly of me!" Minako thought for a moment. "And using regular old-fashioned protection is definitely not ideal. _Hmm_... I wonder if Usagi can do something to make it a non-problem, at least for a while. I'll talk to her about it after we win today's battle!"

"If she can help us in that way, I'm sure it would be a big relief to all of the Anglerfish girls!" Miho exclaimed. "And it would be to our boys too!" She smiled, "I'm glad to hear you're thinking so positively about our match, Minako-san. Victory for Ooarai today is far from assured. Perhaps even... impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, Miho-san! You're going to win and make your boys proud of you!" the bubbly blonde insisted. "I've never seen Mako-chan so determined to win anything as she is today, not ever! And I'm going to help do my part by driving my Panzer like it's never been driven before!" Minako stamped her right foot down on an imaginary gas pedal. "We'll be flying around the other tanks so fast, no silly Tiger or Sherman will get a shot at us! You'll win this thing, I promise!"

"Arigatou, Minako-san. I hope you're right" Miho smiled at the confident, eager blonde. "I need to make a phone call to find out what's happening with my missing driver, give the girls a little pep talk, and then... next stop, Nagasaki!"

. . . . .

Five teenage boys sat waiting outside on the front steps of Makoto's country home, having been requested by Setsuna to be present for what she had promised Yuji by telephone to be a special surprise.

"Any idea what Setsuna is planning, Mamoru-san?" Yuuichirou asked the last male to arrive.

"None at all, Yuuichirou-chan, though I'm sure it involves our fiancees in some way" Mamoru answered. "Pluto has quite the knack at being cryptic in her communications, to put it mildly" the university student chuckled. "My Usako has always complained to Setsuna about that, and today I can sympathize with her."

A short time later the teens spotted Michiru's gold Lexus approaching, with Haruka behind the wheel. "Michiru is joining us too, but I don't see Setsuna with them" Yuji said as the vehicle pulled up. "That's strange."

Haruka opened the trunk of the luxury car and waved the boys over. "Ohayou minna. I have a rush job for everyone."

Taro peered into the trunk, noticing a long rectangular box, and read its label. "Looks like you brought us a really fancy tv antenna, Haruka-san."

"Hai. How soon can you assemble it on the roof of Mako-chan's house?" the boyishly-dressed blonde asked.

"It won't take long at all" Minako's fiancee grinned. "Any idea why we're doing this?"

"Sailor Pluto is currently at her Time Gate" Haruka told the boys. "She's been closely monitoring the dimension your fiancees are currently living in, and discovered there's a big Sensha-do match involving Ooarai happening today, and it's being televised live on air. Setsuna believes she may be able to channel the signal to Mako-chan's house through an antenna like this one."

"We can watch our girls compete live?" Ryo exclaimed. "That's fantastic, Haruka-san!"

"She thought you'd enjoy it" Haruka chuckled. "Michi-chan and I certainly will. I brought all the tools you'll need, so let's get this thing put together, sit back and watch the show."

"Hai!" The boys scooped the box from the trunk and quickly set to work.

. . . . .

Precisely at eight, Ooarai's rag-tag collection of tanks rolled out of their hangar and followed Miho's Panzer IV through the small town atop the Zuikaku, amid cheers of encouragement from its residents. Driving past her father's barber shop, Yukari's eyes lit up when she spotted her parents standing outside. "Minna! My mother and father are watching us!" They waved enthusiastically at her and her team as the big Panzer rumbled past.

Miho asked her loader, "Did you tell your parents about your relationship with Ryoto yet, Yukari?"

"Hai! I did, Nishizumi-dono! At first they couldn't believe I really do have a boyfriend!" she giggled. "They're so happy for me!"

Reaching a lower deck, the tanks of Ooarai Girls Academy were once again held up at the shore-bound vehicle ramp by a long line of other traffic exiting the Zuikaku.

Rei frowned at the collection of cars and trucks surrounding their tank. "This reminds me of rush hour in Tokyo, Mako-chan."

"Hai, it does. So far, today is starting out a lot like the day we had our match with St. Gloriana, but I'm sure that'll change when we finally get past this traffic jam and off the ship" Makoto spoke to her team as their Panzer sat behind Riko's STuG, waiting to drive down the ramp. "I wonder if anyone in Nagasaki will be cheering for our school?"

"I know at least five guys who will be!" Minako replied over the Panzer's intercom. "Oh! That reminds me!" She told her teammates what had happened the previous night between Miho and Yusei. "Do you think you could use the powers of your Silver Crystal to help our friends out, Usagi-chan?"

"I'm not entirely sure, Minako-chan" Usagi replied. "But now that you mention it, there _is_ something I can try. Ami-chan, can you use your Mercury computer on the girls to see if it works?"

"I think so, Usagi-chan, but there is a problem" the blue-haired gunner reminded her. "I don't have access to my computer in this dimension, and you aren't able to use Princess Serenity's powers until you're back home as well."

"Well, I guess future you will just have to bring Miho's team and their boyfriends back to Nerima again, Usagi-chan!" Minako told the other blonde. "My brilliant matchmaking skills got them started as couples, but I won't rest until they're all happily enjoying the many pleasures of Phase Three! Then I'll know my work is complete." She laughed, "Minna, don't forget we're all invited to their future weddings!"

" _Weddings?_ Here we go again" Makoto muttered. "Stop rushing things, Minako-chan. And pay attention to your driving, the traffic is finally starting to move."

Minako started her Panzer's engine and slipped the tank into gear. "I'm not rushing anything, Mako-chan. Miho told me she and her boyfriend are both ready to take their relationship to the next level, and I just know the other couples feel the very same way."

"You think so?"

"Have I been wrong yet?"

"No... you haven't" Makoto grudgingly admitted as Miho's Panzer at the front of the column of Ooarai tanks began rumbling forward. The brunette smiled as she thought of that first incredible night of sweet intimacy she had shared with her Yuji. "Minako-chan, I hope you're right about this too, I really do."

"Of course I am! My little talk about love-love with the Anglerfish girls will be coming in handy real soon, you'll see!" Minako giggled, "And it's about time!" She eased out the clutch and stepped on the accelerator, pushing both control levers forward to set her Panzer's tracks in motion. The massive machine followed Riko's STuG onto the ramp. "But first, we've got a match to win!"

Makoto squeezed her throat microphone, the tall brunette telling her crew, "Damned right we do! Minna, its time to put your game faces on. Luna team is heading into battle, and we're going to give Kuramoramine and Saunders a taste of what Sensha-do feels like when it's done _our_ way. Sailor Senshi style!"

. . . . .

**Chapter 11:**

On the roof of Makoto's old house, Taro tightened the last bolt holding the tv antenna in place. He uncoiled the long cable attached to it and dropped the other end to his brother waiting below. "Just run the wire under the bottom of the front door for now, Yuji-chan. We'll make a neater and more permanent setup later, after the match is over."

"Hai." Yuji snaked the wire inside the house, along the living room floor, and connected it to the television that had been relocated once more to the large room's coffee table. "All done. Haruka-san, which channel should we set the tv to?"

"Setsuna told me to try channel forty-two first" the blonde replied. "If it doesn't work there, we keep going up one channel at a time until we receive her signal."

Yuji turned on the set and adjusted the television to the correct channel. "There's only static at the moment."

"Perhaps we need to give it a few minutes" Haruka suggested. "Sailor Pluto's Time Gate should lock onto the antenna soon." She grinned at her lover. "Ready for some hot tank-on-tank action, Michi-chan?"

"Normally I would have little interest in such an event" the concert violinist replied. She smiled, "But since Usagi and her inner court are involved, I'm rather looking forward to watching it."

"I'd fancy owning a tank myself" her companion joked. "I wonder what the trade-in value of my Ferrari would be towards a lightly-used Panzer?"

Yuji chuckled at the thought of Haruka and Michiru riding around Tokyo in a vintage tank. "If you did that, Minako would never stop pestering you to borrow it, Haruka-san! She _loves_ driving her Ooarai Panzer!"

"I believe you're right, Yuji-chan" the tall blonde chuckled.

. . . . .

Standing high in the turret of her long-barreled Panzer IV, Miho turned around to visually check on her teams after the tanks had left their school ship behind. "Minna, everything looks good so far. Mako, keep us on this same street we're now on awhile longer, about ten minutes if I remember the route. I'll let you know when we need to make a left onto the road to the staging area."

"Hai."

A few minutes later, and still deeply suspicious of the reliability of the automotive club's tank, Yukari leaned further out from her open loader's hatch and peered back at the machine bringing up the rear of Miho's armored column. "The Tiger P is still with us, Nishizumi-dono. Maybe it's finally working properly."

"Fingers crossed, Yukari" Miho spoke into her throat microphone. "It would be awfully embarrassing if it breaks down before we even get to the match!"

"Maybe for our future battles, we should consider adding another vehicle to our fleet, Miho-san" her driver said over the intercom.

"Oh? What kind of vehicle, Mako?"

"A fire truck."

The Anglerfish commander giggled, "I'll take that under consideration!"

Yukari snickered, "I asked Satoko what her munitions load is for today's match, Nishizumi-dono. She told me they're carrying forty rounds of armor-piercing shells, a full set of tools, and twenty-three fire extinguishers."

"Not enough" Mako muttered. "Fire extinguishers, I mean."

. . . . .

Once through the port's main gate, the eight tanks picked up speed as they trundled around the outskirts of Nagasaki. Makoto radioed Ooarai's overall commander, "It seems we aren't very popular around here, Miho-san. There's hardly anyone in sight, not like it was with the cheering crowds lining the street in Yokohama."

"I noticed that too, Makoto-san. Quiet, isn't it?"

Saori spoke into her microphone, "I know why no one's around! It's because we all have boyfriends now, Miho. No other eligible guys bothered to show up today because we're finally off the market!"

"You'd like to think that!" Hana laughed. "Dating curry restaurants didn't count, Saori."

" _Oh!_ I had a boyfriend before!" the Anglerfish radio operator insisted. "Well... to be honest, we never actually dated or anything, but he _was_ a boy... and I knew his name so we were friends... kinda."

"Not even close" Mako murmured.

. . . . .

"Minna, we're getting a signal!" Yuuichirou exclaimed. "Kind of fuzzy, though. There's so many wavy lines on the screen, I can't tell what I'm looking at." The large living room sofa was filled with teenage boys, while Haruka and Michiru were relaxing on chairs nearby. The males all leaned forward in unison, eyes fixed on the flickering screen.

The image abruptly cleared and a musical jingle blared from the speaker. "Agh!" Yuji groaned. "We're watching an ad! It's a commercial from the other Earth!"

Taro grinned at his brother while turning down the volume, "We already get too many of those here in our dimension. But at least Setsuna's signal to the house is working now."

"They sell the same brand of toothpaste in Miho's Japan as they do in ours" Yuuichirou chuckled. "I tried a tube of that stuff once. It's nasty. Tastes like chalk!"

The advertisement soon mercifully ended, replaced by a screen of text around a prominently displayed Saunders school crest, while a female announcer's voice promoted the upcoming match.

. . . . .

Having followed Miho's Panzer onto the side road to the staging area, Makoto remarked, "That's more like it! Here's the missing crowd we we wondering about."

"The curbs here are totally packed with people, Mako-chan!" Minako exclaimed. "Minna, look over to the right! There's a tv camera! And there's one of those drone thingies flying above us! I hope Setsuna can record this on tape to show my honey muffin!"

The girls of every Ooarai tank began waving to the gathered Sensha-do fans as their cheering intensified. "I'll never get tired of this!" Makoto grinned, waving at a group of junior high school boys. One of them saluted her, and the brunette returned the salute with a big smile.

"I hope Yusei made it here in time to see Miho drive past. Minna, let me know if anyone spots the Anglerfish team's boyfriends!" Luna team's driver urged.

"Why? Are you planning on stopping our Panzer in the middle of the street and giving them another one of your infamous love lectures, Minako-chan?" Rei teased the blonde.

"Of course not, silly! That'll happen later, when future Usagi brings the happy couples to Nerima for Phase Three!"

"Something else I'm not looking forward to hearing" Makoto shuddered. "I still haven't gotten your last lecture to Miho and the girls out of my head, Minako-chan." She frowned, "Minna, what's that weird crunching noise in my headphones? Does anyone else hear it?"

Rei grumbled through her microphone, "Usagi smuggled a bag of chips into our Panzer, Mako-chan. What you're hearing is the sound of her mouth hard at work. There'll be crumbs everywhere in another minute."

" _Ohh!_ Rei-chan, don't be such a snitch!" Usagi hissed.

"Wonderful" the brunette sighed. "Usagi-chan, do you _have_ to eat? _Now?"_

"I'm really hungry, Mako-chan! Doing Sensha-do gives me a big appetite!"

"And we haven't begun the battle yet" Ami giggled as she continued carefully wiping dust from her gunner's eyepiece with a tissue.

"Miho told me there'll be a ninety minute break between when we meet the other teams and the official start of the match" Makoto told her radio operator. "You can finish your chips then, ok? And that's not a suggestion, it's an order, Usagi-chan."

"Fine!" Usagi muttered, reluctantly folding the bag closed and tossing it on the floor of the Panzer's hull. "I'll save the rest for later, if I don't starve to death first."

. . . . .

In the lead Panzer, Miho noticed that Yukari had stopped waving at the crowd and slipped back into her seat. She dropped into the turret to check on her loader, finding the curly-haired girl cradling a shell in her lap and writing hiragana characters on its cylindrical casing with a red felt marker. She asked her friend, giggling, "Autographing a round for your boyfriend, Yukari?"

"This shell isn't for my Ryoto, Nishizumi-dono" her loader replied with a bright smile. "It's a good-luck round I'm saving for later in the match, when Hana is firing at your sister's Tiger. This is the shot that'll knock her tank out of action!"

"Hontou? What does it say?"

"From Ooarai with love" Yukari grinned.

"That's _perfect!"_ Miho laughed. "I only hope we get the chance to use it!"

. . . . .

Back in Makoto's living room, the teens fell silent as they watched Kay lead a column of ten M4 Shermans into the staging area, accompanied by the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic' school theme song being performed by a massive nearby band that dwarfed the number of St. Gloriana musicians who had played before their match against Ooarai.

"Those are some serious-looking machines Saunders has there" Taro spoke in awe. "I hope Miho's tanks are up to the task."

"Me too, brother" Yuji murmured, realizing that his beloved fiancee and her Luna team could soon become the target of the Shermans' potent 75mm main guns.

Haruka chuckled, "Their orchestra is nothing to sneeze at either, if that counts for anything. About the only thing they're missing is a harp section and a grand piano."

They watched the tanks park side-by-side in a huge field, to the right side of a stage containing two microphones, and backed by a pair of speakers and a gigantic Saunders school crest. Four tall flagpoles, two at either side of the stage stood empty, but a pair of students wearing grey blazers and red skirts quickly raised the Saunders school flag on the first pole as the stirring song played on.

"The hosting school, Saunders I believe it is called, must be quite wealthy indeed to regularly stage such events" Michiru spoke. "This is an altogether impressive beginning to the girls' Sensha-do competition. Wouldn't you agree, Mamoru-san?"

"Hai. Very impressive" the university student nodded.

Ryo frowned. "And very intimidating too."

. . . . .


End file.
